www.RefinedPerformanceHorsemanship.com • [email protected] • +1 (406) 599-‐7935 • Equisure Liability Insurance www.linkedin.com/in/karenososki • www.facebook.com/RefinedPerformanceHorsemanship REFINED PERFORMANCE HORSEMANSHIP EQUINE BIOMECHANICS LECTURE & DEMONSTRATION CLINICS What do Karen’s equine biomechanic lectures include? Karen’s equine biomechanics lectures touch on the fascinating world of equine movement. Her lectures explain to riders the importance of creating and maintaining efficient and healthy posture and movement within their horses. Her lectures are based on biomechanics knowledge gained through lectures and classes with the following international biomechanics experts: Dr. Gerd Heuschmann, Dr. Hilary Clayton, and Dr. Deb Bennett. Karen’s in depth study of their concepts, work, and publications resulted in this visual learning experience, which includes a PowerPoint lecture, an anatomy painted horse, and a moving horse demonstration. The PowerPoint lectures are filled with pictures and diagrams to help beginners to advanced riders understand how a horse moves and how riders affect a horse’s movement. Who are Karen’s equine biomechanics lectures for? Each presentation is adapted to the level of experience in the audience – from recreational riders to Pony Club participants to professionals. All disciplines, including dressage, jumping, eventing, western pleasure, reining, cutting, endurance, rodeo, and trail riders, benefit from learning the importance of healthy equine movement to improve their horse’s performance. Those involved in activities such as therapeutic riding, ranch work, outfitting, and dude ranching gain understanding of the importance of healthy muscle development to maintain soundness for their working herds. The anatomy painted horse demonstrations help equestrians to see the internal body structure involved in different movements for the horse. This 3-‐D representation with an actual horse provides deeper understanding of the information learned in the PowerPoint lecture. During the moving horse demonstration, a horse moves through its gaits including lateral work. Footfall, rhythm and tempo of all three gaits are demonstrated. As the horse moves, muscles groups involved in healthy posture are pointed out and how they affect the horse’s movement are explained. Karen being introduced in her co-‐keynote session at the 2012 PATH International Conference, Seattle, WA www.KarenOsoski.com Copyright © 2014 Karen Ososki. All Rights Reserved. What is the focus of Karen’s equine biomechanics lectures? Karen’s equine biomechanics lectures focus on explaining the horse’s musculoskeletal system and how to maximize the healthiest posture for carrying a rider. She discusses the importance of a: ! supple swinging equine back and the difference between back-‐movers and leg movers Karen pointing out cervical vertebrae and how they are attached to the upper ligament system and how important the neck is to healthy posture. ! well-‐developed long head and neck axis and its effects on the horses ability to easily carry the rider ! yielding soft hand during training The three main systems covered are the: 1) passive ligament system of the trunk and the cervical spine 2) abdominal muscular movement system 3) thoracic / shoulder carrying system Additionally, participants learn how a horse’s posture and the rider’s training system can affect each of the three systems. Why is it important to understand how a horse moves? It is important to understand how a horse moves because all equestrian disciplines revolve around movement, including: Karen demonstrating the part the long back muscles play in equine movement and how healthy posture is tied to a swinging back-‐mover horse. Picture Courtesy of Janice Cartwright, Montana Horse Sense Cutting horse separating a cow from a herd Jumping horse taking a 5’ fence Race horse galloping down a track Draft horse pulling a heavy load Endurance and trail riding Knowledge of the components that make up the musculoskeletal system provides clearer understanding of equine movement to maximize training. Klaus Balkenhol, a USA Olympic Dressage coach, states in The Rider Forms the Horse that: Karen using a horse with diagonal leg wraps to explain footfall and rhythm to the audience. Tracking up and the horse’s longitudinal and lateral balance would be observed. “What is absolutely essential for the training of the horse is an understanding of the links between muscular function and the skeleton working in combination during the different phases of training and exercises. This applies to whichever type of equine activity has been chosen. “ This leads to the study of movement biomechanics -‐ the study of the functions of the equine body in relation to movement www.KarenOsoski.com Copyright © 2014 Karen Ososki. All Rights Reserved. HOW do riders affect their horse’s movement and WHY does it matter? It is well documented that efficient and healthy movement is imperative to keeping our equine athletes sound. To prevent lameness and understand a horse’s movement, it is essential to know how and the horses’ musculoskeletal systems function. training methods can help enhance a horse’s physical and mental well-‐being. It is very unfortunate that horses become lame. There are many factors that contribute to lameness that inhibit a horse’s movement: ! benefit of a healthy posture to encourage a swinging back, throughness, and balance in the horse Depending on the length of the presentation and customization requests, the training points address: ! horse behavior and how horses respond to tension and how this affects their posture ! importance of relaxation for all disciplines Hereditary problems ! importance of soft hand contact Poor conformation An understanding of equine biomechanics helps riders develop healthy and responsive equine partners. Through these lecture/demonstrations, participants leave with new skills and exercises that they can implement in their own training and riding programs. Physical trauma Improper shoeing Poor saddle fitting Rider induced lameness o
Overuse in a demanding discipline o
Horses posture during training The way a horse is ridden can lead to chronic unsoundness. Without healthy conditioning, lameness can develop when a horse’s body is repeatedly misdirected: either by constricting the horse’s joints and/or compressing the ligaments, or by compromising the muscles. Many riders ask… “How does my riding style affect my horse?” “How can I improve my riding to insure that my horse remains physically and mentally sound?” To perform to its highest level of potential, the horse needs to be encouraged into a ‘healthy frame’ or ‘position’ that allows it to develop the necessary muscles for balance and throughness. When these muscles have been developed, the equine athlete will be able to enjoy moving freely without injury for many years. Riders have good intentions; none intend to cause lameness in their horse. Rider induced lameness is usually caused by a rider’s lack of exposure or awareness of the horse’s anatomy. Karen incorporates classical and natural horsemanship training methods into her biomechanics presentations. She addresses the horse’s posture and how different Karen with walking sticks demonstrating the different gaits and footfalls of the horse. She explains the difference between rhythm and tempo and how they affect the horse’s movement. Are other clinics available? Karen offers groundwork and mounted riding clinics emphasizing RPH principles, from dressage to jumping to western; customized to fit your personal goals. Karen also offers seminars covering: Rider Biomechanics, Rider Cross-‐Training Conditioning, Equine Sport Conditioning & Schooling, and Sports Psychology Strategy. www.KarenOsoski.com Copyright © 2014 Karen Ososki. All Rights Reserved. About Karen ! Guest Presenter, “Optimizing your Horse’s Straightness, Balance and Performance Symposium’ with Dr. Ridgway and Colonel Carde – June 2012 From the stock of a Montana rodeo family, Karen was born with a love for horses. For more than 30 years, she has ridden various English and Western disciplines. Karen has spent more than 18 years seriously studying horsemanship in lessons, clinics, and shows including 12 years riding jumpers and eventers and more than 6 years in full-‐time dressage training. Karen is honored to be the only American Riding Instructors Association Test Administrator in Montana and has successfully completed the ARIA ARICP Level III Dressage and Level II Hunter Seat Certifications. She is currently working on the ARIA Western and Western Dressage Certifications. Certified as a Specialist and Mentor in Daniel Stewart’s Ride Right Program, Karen is authorized to teach Daniel’s workshops and seminars. Karen has dedicated years to developing Refined Performance Horsemanship. Her focus is promoting healthy and harmonious training and riding techniques. She has taught clinics and given demonstrations across the US and internationally and is a sought-‐after expert in simple training techniques that result in major improvements. Karen presently lives and teaches in Bozeman, Montana. A few career highlights ! Featured Clinician, Equine Affaire®, Columbus, Ohio – April 2014. Two “Ride with the Best” clinics and two presentations. ! Featured instructor (with cover photo) in ARIA Magazine "Riding Instructor" Spring 2012 Karen was profiled in the Spring 2012 Riding Instructor Magazine ! Selected as one of the ARIA "Top 50 Riding Instructors in America" in 2009 ! Worked closely with and facilitated all USA Dr. Gerd Heuschmann Equine Biomechanics Lectures and Clinics from 2008-‐2010 ! Studied with Dr. Hillary Clayton at Michigan State University’s Equine Biomechanics ! Co-‐Keynote Presenter, PATH Intl Conference Horse Expo. Refined Performance Horsemanship: Improving Performance and Maintaining Soundness through Ground Work – November 2012 Karen demonstrating self-‐carriage with forward reins
www.KarenOsoski.com Copyright © 2014 Karen Ososki. All Rights Reserved.